Alien workforce is a big problem

May 26, 1998
Postbag
Alien workforce is
a big problem
Sending back 1.3 million alien workers to their respective
countries is not an easy job. It will be difficult if only the
Immigration Department is responsible. The cooperation of
employers is very important.
Firstly, most employers failed to register their migrant workers a
year ago because of registration fees and the need for workers
to be absent from work for medical check-ups.
Besides, employers prefer cheap workers. Many garment
factories have been set up near the Burmese border about 500
kilometres from Bangkok. Their employees, Burmese workers,
are paid an average of 1,500 baht per month for working about
26 days a month. The working day is 11 hours, which any Thai
would refuse to work.
A year ago, Thai unions suggested granting migrant workers the
same pay and rights as Thais, or else, they said, there would be
social and unemployment problems. Another thing is that the
Thai authorities have failed to distribute proper information to
migrant workers. The Immigration Department offered travel
documents and bus fares for repatriation, but the information did
not reach alien workers who do not understand the Thai
language. If local broadcast stations explained migrant worker
issues in the respective alien languages, I am sure this would
work.
Lastly, Kanjana Spindler pointed out (Commentary, May 20)
that the political and economic situation in neighboring countries
greatly affects the increasing number of migrant workers. Many
Burmese bring their entire families and seek jobs in Thai border
towns paying just 500 baht a month.
Hsaw Wah Deh